Reviews

I've always been a big fan of straight-up punk rock, but as time goes on, I find it more and more difficult to swallow the shit being dished out. I guess punk is changing and I have to move with the times or get left behind. Well, as far as I'm concerned, I'm happy to be left behind. I wish there were more bands out there like Good Riddance, Bigwig, Strike Anywhere and Pennywise. To me, that is modern punk rock. Enemy You also fits into that category.
 
After several years in the music wilderness, Enemy You have returned in style with "Stories Never Told", their debut album on the newly-formed Red Scare record label. Their previous release, "Where Noone Knows My Name" has been a constant feature in many of my playlists since it was released in 1999, and their new album will surely be too.
 
I'm not going to speak about musical maturity or evolution, because quite frankly, there's none of that here. This is simple, three-chord punk, the way it was meant to be played. Snotty-nosed vocals, aggressive raw guitarwork, and a feverish drum beat are the only things you'll find here, but that is by no means a criticism. (For anyone not familiar with Enemy You, they're probably best described as Guttermouth meets Nicotine or the Vindictives.)
 
There is some level of monotony over the entire album, but with nine of the fourteen tracks under the two minute mark, you really don't have time to get bored. "Stories Never Told" starts just as quickly as it ends, and there are several standout tracks. The energetic "We Are The Ones", the slightly slower and more emotional "East And West" and "The Only One" are my top picks out of of a solid bunch of tight, simplistic, and well-produced tracks.
 
If you're a fan of what I'll call "90's punk rock" like I am, get out there and pick this one up. Simple pleasures eh?  (Grant - punkunited.com)